Tennessee House speaker, U.S. senator challenge Nashville mayor’s request for TIRRC funding

Two top Tennessee Republicans are objecting to a funding request by Nashville’s mayor for an immigrant rights group, saying it could violate the state’s anti-sanctuary city law.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a gubernatorial candidate, said in a post on X this week that Tennesseans should be “outraged” that Mayor Freddie O’Connell is seeking $735,000 for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. She called the organization a “pro-illegal alien nonprofit.”

“I urge the Metro Council to reject this. Anti-ICE groups like TIRRC should not receive a dime of Tennesseans’ hard-earned money,” Blackburn said in the post.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton agreed in a separate post, saying the budget request could break Tennessee law against sanctuary city activity. He added that the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference and Comptroller Jason Mumpower “are watching this very closely.”

“This year the House passed legislation to expose through transparency these groups who violate our state laws. We look forward to bringing it back next year!” Sexton said in the post.

An item in the Metro budget plan lists the request under recreational, cultural, conservation and community support and notes that TIRRC is a statewide immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is “build power, amplify our voices and organize communities to advocate for our rights.”

Sexton also butted heads with O’Connell last year over a federal-state sweep of an immigrant neighborhood in South Nashville where officers arrested nearly 200 people during traffic stops.

The Tennessee Lookout is seeking comment from the mayor’s office and the Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Rights Coalition.